Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Anastasia Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Anastasia Pink’, characterized by its large quilled spider double-type inflorescences with pink-colored ray florets; numerous ray florets and few inconspicuous disc florets; dark green-colored foliage; strong and upright flowering stems; low number of lateral branches; short response time; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Anastasia Pink.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andreferred to by the name ‘Anastasia Pink’.

The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor in acontrolled environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, as anaturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum cultivarAnastasia, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,550. The new plant wasdiscovered within a population of plants of the cultivar Anastasia andwas selected on the basis of its unique pink-colored ray florets.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttingsharvested in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands since January 2001, hasshown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Anastasia Pink has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Anastasia Pink’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Anastasia Pink’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Large quilled spider double-type inflorescences with pink-colored rayflorets; typically grown as a disbudded type with a single inflorescenceper flowering stem.

2. Numerous ray florets and very few disc florets; disc floretstypically inconspicuous.

3. Dark green-colored foliage.

4. Strong and upright flowering stems.

5. Low number of lateral branches which reduces the amount of disbuddingrequired.

6. Short response time.

7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are most similar to plants of the parentcultivar Anastasia. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by theInventor in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the newChrysanthemum differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Anastasiain ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Anastasia hadwhite-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Anastasia Pink’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof a typical inflorescence of ‘Anastasia Pink’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second page comprises a close-upview of the upper (right) and lower (left) surfaces of typical leaves of‘Anastasia Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in aglass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/shortnight treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induceflower initiation and development. Average day and night temperatureswere 18 and 19° C., respectively. Plants were not pinched and were grownas single-stem disbud types.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar AnastasiaPink.

Commercial classification: Quilled spider double-type Chrysanthemumtypically grown as a disbudded cut flower.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofChrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Anastasia, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,550.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 20° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Herbaceous quilled spider double-type cut Chrysanthemum;typically grown as a single-stem and as a disbudded type with one singleinflorescence per flowering stem. Upright and strong flowering stems.

Growth rate.—Moderate; moderately vigorous.

Crop time.—For cut flowers, about 78 and 117 days are required toproduce flowering stems during the summer and winter, respectively.

Flowering stem description.—Length: About 70 to 80 cm. Diameter, atapex: About 6.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Branching habit:Plants are typically grown as single stems, but if pinched, will develop8 to 12 lateral stems. Color: 146B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Quantity of leaves per mainstem: About 12 to 15. Length: About 10 to 13 cm. Width: About 6 to 9 cm.Apex: Acute. Base: Acute to obtuse. Margin: Palmately lobed. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Rough; pubescent. Petiole length: About 3 to 4cm. Color: Young and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Youngand fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper andlower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: 147B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Quilled spider double-type inflorescence form.Inflorescences borne on terminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and discflorets develop acropetally on the receptacle.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant typically flower inNovember in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to long day/short night conditions after planting followed byphotoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about seven weekslater.

Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences will maintain good substanceand form for about 3.5 weeks after harvesting.

Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—Grown as a disbud type,all lateral inflorescences are removed and only the terminalinflorescence develops. If lateral inflorescences are not removed, about8 to 11 inflorescences per flowering stem will develop.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Large, about 11 to 14 cm. Depth (height):About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.4 cm; inconspicuous.

Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 to1.5 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 146A.

Ray florets.—Length, fully developed: About 6.5 to 7.5 cm. Width, fullydeveloped: About 7 to 8 mm. Shape: Fused, tubular; quilled. Texture:Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 350.Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 69A. Mature, upper andlower surfaces: 69B; color fading to 69B to 69C with subsequentdevelopment.

Disc florets.—Shape: Oblong, tubular. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 1mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: Few, about 10;inconspicuous. Color: Immature: Close to 154D. Mature: Towards apex,13A; towards base, close to 150D.

Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3 to 4 cm. Length, fourthpeduncle: About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter: About 6 to 7 mm. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 146B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 15B. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen: 16B. Gynoecium: Presenton both ray and disc florets. Stigma length: About 5 mm. Stigma width:About 0.5 mm. Stigma color: Towards apex, 9C; towards base, close to155C.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to known Chrysanthemum pathogens andpests has not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Anastasia Pink’, as illustrated and described.